Stacker



L. E. LA BOMBARD.

- STACKER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6. 1920.

Patented J 11116 28, 1921..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEON E. LA CMBAED, or CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR To SPECIALTY AUTOMATIC MACHINE COMPANY, OF. CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

STACKER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEON E. LA BOMBARD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chelsea, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stackers, of which the following is-a specification.

\ cation is 'a continuation, in part, of the application which became said Letters Patent, so far'as concerns sub ect matter common to both said applications.

Folding machines of the kind referred to operate very rapidly, producing some sizes of boxes. at the rate of sixty thousand and more an hour. As glue is employed to cause overlapping flaps of the blanks to adhere, and as said flaps always have an inherent tendency to spring up Or pop open, it is essential "that the folded blanks shall have no opportunit to open until the glue has set. The hig er the rate of issue of the folded blanks from afolding'machine, the

eater is the difficulty of keeping them un' er such complete and unbroken control as to prevent occasional, boxes from s ringing open and becoming so interengage or displaced as to seriously interfere with the uninterrupted roduction of properly folded and secured boxes. p

The principal object of my invention is to provide a machine or mechanism which will ee clu 'ng ressure thereon for the necessary length 0 time to permit the glue to set, as to permit the highest rate of s eed of production to be maintained, and a so to enable comparatively slow-dryln glue to be used.

As manual labor is emp oyed to supply the usual feed hopper of a folding machine with blanks, it is impossible to preserve such uniformity of spacing of the blanks beingl folded as to result in their being deposite in overlappinglcondition on a slowly moving platform in t e form of a row of uniform vertical thickness. Therefore another object of the invention is to provide means for Specification of Letters Patent.

invention.

nected.

such control of the folded boxes, in-

Patented June as, 1921.

Application filed February c.1920. Serial No. 356,701.

holding the folded blanks with their glued flaps in Contact while theyar being trans ferred from the delivery end of a folding machine to the presser which is to preserve that contact until the glue sets. r

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of so much of the machine as is necessary to illustrate the Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the principal elements of the mechanism appearing in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 2, showing how a change is effected to meet conditions arisin when certain kinds of boxes are to be ma e.

To enable the present invention to be understood it will not be necessary to illustrate or describe any particular type of box folding machine, as the mechanism herein explained is suitable for use in connection with any machine which folds blanks to flat form with overlapping flaps adhesively conmachine are illustrated in Fig. 1 wherein the numerals 8 and 9 respectivel designate one of the side plates and brackets of the frame at the delivery end of a folding machine. Thefolded blanks or boxes pass from the folding mechanism (not shown) to the nip of two belts carried by a swinging frame which includes two members 10 ivo'tally mounted on shaft 11 and counterba anced as hereinafter described. It is to be understood that there aretwo members 10, at opposite sides of the machine, one; being behind the one appearin in Fig. 1. The two members 10 are connecte by bars 12, and said bars practically form parts of the swinging frame; A

Portions of the frameof such a n suitable anti-friction bearing for the frame I inafter described.

' and are carried under a pressure belt 22 The flat folded boxes are taken from the folding machine by the belts 15, 19 and are delivered by said belts onto a wide receiving belt 21 whlch is supported by suitable rolls and is driven slowly so that the boxes a are deposited thereon 1n overlapping positions mounted on a pulley 23 carried by a shaft 24 mounted in a yielding frame aportion of which'is shown at 25.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, a bar 26 adjustably supported by'the upper web 14 supports at its-outer end a post 27 whichfcarnes the pulle 16 at its lower end and in the upper end 0 which is secured a transversep'in 28. Adjustably secured to one end of the pin 28 is an arm 29 in which is adjustably secured a verticalrod 30 hav-' ing atits lower end a stud31 on which a disk roll 32 is mounted .to rotate freely.

Adj ustably secured to the other end of transits lower end a stud shaft 35 on which an:

verse pin 28 is an arm'3 3 in which is adjustably secured a vertical rod 34 having at elongated roll 36 is mounted to rotate freely. in practice the rapidly delivered folded boxes arrive on the slowly moving belt 21 in such positionsthat'the overlapping flap portions thereof which carry the adhesive are in-alinement with the small elongated roll 36. The folded boxes consist of three thicknesses where the wide roll 36 islto bear,

' r and onl' .two thicknesses where the narrow disk ml 32 to bear. Theroll 36 acts to hold the overlapping flapportions of the boxes in contact with each other while pass ing to the presser belt 22.. As the upper flap is usually-narrow. it has a tendency to spring up beforejthe glue sets. The roll 36 returns anyu sprung flap into con-tact with the underlym flap and holds it so until the resser belt 22 is reached. The disk roll or w eel 32 that they bears on the boxes at one side of the overlapping flaps and serves to insure suchcom plete contact of the boxes with the belt 21 will enter underbelt 22 in uniform alinement.

The belt 15. is driven by a pulley 37 on "shaft 38,,and the belt 19 is' driven by a. ulley 39 on shaft 11 (Fig. 1). The two sha s are ared and driven to actuate the belts in the motion indicated b arrows. Secured to one of t e pivoted frame members 10-is, a bracket 40 from. which an arm 41, carrying an adjustable weight- 42 extends far enou h to serve to almost counterbalance theiweig t'of the parts carried at the other side of the pivot 11. y me us of said weight the pressure of the rol s 32, 36, on the folded boxes may .be adjusted to suit the character of the boxes being acted u on;

'It is sometimes desirable to limit t e low-- ermost position to which the frame and the pressers carried thereby can swing, especially when yielding pressers such as presently dethe rolls 32 36, the stop 43 J ness of the row.

scribed are substituted for the rolls 32, 36. To this end, a stop 43 is removably mounted in a bracket adiustably-carried by one of the frame plates 8.- When this stop 43 is in place it projects under one end of the lower cross bar 12.

For some classes of work it is desirable that the pressers carried by the swinging frame shall be yielding ones. To this end the machine is constructed to permit the chan e to be made expeditiously. By comparing igs. 2and 3,, a preferred means for eifecting this chan e will be readily understood. To effect the c ange, the pinor cross bar 28 and all parts carried thereby are remoired: Then a wide spring 50 is secured to the face of post 27, and a narrow spring 51 carried by an arm 52 of a rod or bar 53 ismounted in the position shown in Fig.3 by securing said rod 53 in a hole 54 (Fig. 1) formed in the guidev block or clamp 55 which is carried by the upper web 14 and in which block the bar 2 is adjustably mounted. When the character of the work is such as to renderit desirable or preferable to employ the spring members 50 51, instead of (Fi 1 will be pushed in ar enough to serve to limit the lowermost position of the swinging frame,-

and the weight 42 will be set near enough the pivot of the swin ing frame so that-unless theoverlapping b anks a should present; an

unduly thick row the frame will notyield,

and the springs will then serve to yieldin'gly belit l' upon the row and hold all boxes closed w 1 e liable to cause a-disarrangement inthe row due to the friction between them and the passingboxes. By withdrawing the stop" 43 setting the rolls in place of the springs, an

setting the .weight 42 at a point to more nearlycounterbalance the frame, said rp'lls will ar upon the passing roweof boxes pressure whether the row is thick The rolls will follow passin' to the presser belt 22. For some kinds 0 boxes'however the; springs are without friction and with the same degree ,ofifo l or thin. all variations inthick The reason for employing two rolls or two v springs side b side and relatively adjusta 1c is that di erent types of boxes vary .SO

much in the shapes oftheir e s which first reach the rolls or springs ,that it is very difiicult to set one roll or one spring in such position that it. will never cause box quickly onto the receivin belt, and the 7 rear end of the space refer-re to :is ofzf'such in) I neeapse height or vertical width as to permit the rear end of each box to dro clear of the front edge of the next b0 to be delivered, so that no two boxes will become interengaged. The space or throat can be varied in length to suit different sizes of boxes by adjusting the bar 26 in the clamp 55 and properly swinging and setting the arm which carries the upper pulley 17 to cause the belt 15 to operate under correct tension. Such adjustment results in locating the pulley 16 and the roll or spring presser at a greater or lesser distance from the delivery end of belt 19. To permit a wide range of adjustment in this respect without having an undue space between the narrow end of the throat and the presser belt 22, it is customary in practice to provide for adjusting the frame 25 in the direction of its length by suitable means not necessar to illustrate.

Whether the machine is a justed to operate as in Fig. 2 or as in Fig. 3, there is a wide presser in position to bear upon those portions of the boxes which are to be held together by the glue so as to bear equally the full width of the box where the longitudinal band of glue usually employed is located, while a narrower presser is in position to bear upon a portion of each box at one side of the edge of the uppermost flap even when boxes of very narrowwidths are being operated upon.

Having now claim:

1. Mechanism of the character described having, in combination, a receiving conveyer, a delivering conveyer for depositing articles on said receiving conveyer, an elongated presser for holding the articles on the receiving conveyer, and means for yieldingly bearing on 'the articles after they are deposited on the receiving conveyer and are approaching the elongated presser.

2. Mechanism of the character described having, in combination, a receiving belt, an elongated presser belt bearing thereon, means for belt at a point spaced from the presser belt, and means for yieldingly bearing on the boxes during their travel toward the presser belt. 3. Mechanism of the character described having, in combination, a receiving belt,-an elongated presser belt bearing thereon, means for delivering folded boxes on the receiving belt at a point. spaced from the presser belt, and a plurality of yielding pressers side b side'in position to bear on the boxes during their travel toward the presser belt.

4. Mechanism of the character described, having, in combination, a receiving belt, an elongated presser belt bearing thereon, means for delivering folded boxes on .the receiving belt at a oint spaced from the presser belt, a plurality of yielding pressers describedmy invention, I

ceiving delivering folded boxes on the re side by side in position to bear on the boxes during their travel toward the presser belt, 7

and means for adjusting said pressers relatively to each other.

5. Mechanism of the character described comprising a receiving belt, means for depositing fiat folded boxes thereon'in overlapping superposed relationship, and means for yieldingly confining the overlapping boxes while they travel on said belt.

6. Mechanism of the character described comprisin a receiving belt, means for depositing at folded boxes thereon inoverlapping superposed. relationship, means for yieldingly confining the overlapping boxes while they travel on said belt, and means for yieldingly bearing on the boxes before. they reach said confining means.

7. Mechanism of the character described comprising a receiving belt, means for depositing fiat folded boxes thereon in overlapping superposed relationship, means for yieldingly confining the overlapping boxes while they travel on said belt, and a pair of yieldingly supported rollsin position to car on the boxes before they reach said confinin means.

8. l echanism for assembling articles in a row, comprising a receiving conveyer, a delivering conveyer for depositing articles on the receiving conveyer, a presser connected with said delivering conveyer and means for supporting the delivering conveyer to permit the presser to bear lightly and yieldingly on the receiving conveyer.

9. Me -hanism for assembling articles in a row, comprising a traveling platform, a conveyer for means for operating the platform and conveyer at different speeds to cause the articles delivering articles on the platform,

to overlap each other on the platform, and 1 means for yieldingly bearing on the articles yieldingly mounted frame, a pairof belts 1 Y carried by said frame and projecting over said platform, and a presser carried by the frame in position to bear on articles delivered b said belts to the platform.

11. echanism for assembling articles in a row, comprising a traveling platform, a yieldingly mounted frame, a pair of belts carried by said frame and projecting over said platform, and -means for removably connecting interchangeable pressing members with said frame.

12. Mechanism for assembling articles in a row, comprising a traveling platform, a yieldingly mounted frame, a pair of belts carried by said frame and projecting over said. platform, means for removably connectin interchangeable pressing members with sald frame, and displaceable means for limiting the lowermost position of the frame.

13. Mechanism for a row, comprising means for providing the platform, means in said space, said articles at perin space.

weaves assembling articles in a traveling platform, a tapering space above for delivering articles and means for pressing on the narrower end of said ta- 14. echanism of the character described comprising a receiving belt, a presser belt cooperating therewith, having a pair of coac ticles to the receiving and a yielding frame ting belts to deliver ar belt.

15. Mechanism of the character described comprising a receiving belt, a presser belt cooperating therewit h, a yieldmg frame having a pair of coactingbelts to deliver articles to the receiving belt, and means for adjustably counterbalancing said yielding frame.

l6. Mechanism of the character described comprising a receiving belt, a presserbelt cooperating therewith, a yielding frame having a air of coacting belts to deliver articles to t e receiving belt, and means carried by said yielding frame to direct articles under the presser belt.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

LEON E. LA BOMBARD. 

